West Coast Avengers (MCU)

What the Hel do you mean she's your mother?

Picking up at East Coast Avengers Tower:

CM asks Heimdall if she can set up a way to get ahold of him when she needs to. Heimdall locks eyes with her; she experiences a moment like when she connected with the engine, only it's like she is feeling and experiencing everything at once. It's only a moment. He: "You, uniquely among your companions, are worthy of this attention. It will be so."

What next? Start with Derek BIshop? CM will look into the current CEO of Bishop industries. RZB suggests stocking up the Siberian base; Steven Grant provides the funds for food to store at the base. RZB, SHJ and DF take supplies to Siberia and scout the location out. MK and KB hang back, fighting petty crime and keeping SHIELD's attention away from the rest of the team.

CM investigates the CEO, Jim Schultz, and doesn't think she's seen anyone so "average". Bland as fuck, 40's average looks. Done nothing of any note outside of making his way up to being the number 2 guy, pretty much just by being around that long. Utterly forgettable. Mousy brown hair, charcoal grey pin stripe suit, blue tie. CM also researches Madam Masque, but comes up with nothing.

The Siberian base is pretty much the same as it was, including the bear. They brought some fish for him to keep him happy and friendly. RZB explores for any secrets. Explanation: this is a small outpost, maybe run by three people; three buildings: Ops, Mess Hall, Barracks. There doesn't appear to be anything in the immediate area they would be posted here for, so it appears to be the proverbial "outpost in Siberia." However, there is a basement in the Ops building, and RZB discovers a secret door down there. They have DF open the door, no trap. There's a downward sloping hall that turns to the left. They go down with flashlights. Steep, but not dangerous. It circuits around a few times and comes to a metal door; unlocked. Beyond the come into a fairly large room. Normal height: size of a open floor cubicle farm — dusty and stale air. (RZB sends word to the rest of the team… just in case). DF finds a knife switch for the lights, but no power. RZB figures out how to hook up the quinjet's generator to the base. Few lights come on, but a few.

Walking back to the quinjet they come across a guy standing there. Rasputin-like beard, short hair. "So, you are setting up shop here." RZB: "Who the fuck are you?" "My code name is Ursa Major. Thank you for the fish." RZB: "Who are you working for." UM: "Technically I am with Russian army, for a long time. But Russian army pretty much leaves me alone. It seems to me you significantly lack organizational skills." DF: "We're the West Coast Avengers, organizational skills is not one of our prerequisite skills." RZB: "Do you want to join the West Coast Avengers." UM: "Join may be too strong a word." First visit, his presence was an accident, but he left a transmitter to know if we came back. He is not planning on telling Russian government about us. But wants to set up information exchange. DF: "Are you part of a Russian super hero team that hasn't been active in far too long?" Pretty much: Red Guardian, Dark Star, Gremlin. "I hear Gremlin has built suit he calls 'Titanium Man'. Think he has Tony Stark inferiority complex." RZB: "We all have that."

RZB suggests two team meet up. Bring everyone from both groups together. Everyone thinks this is a good idea. Group shares information about Ragnarok and the Enchantress with UM. We think we stopped it but… SHJ: "So keep your eye out for… endless… winter… uh… yeah." RZB: "Maybe a wolf taking a bite out of the sun would be more significant."

Share their powers with UM – Mikhail. Mikhail asks them to bring warm water fish with them next time. (RZB and DF argue about whether or not they should or could bring the fish alive. Mikhail tries to keep from laughing. "You've seen us do this before." "Yes, always entertaining.")

Back in LA: KB and MK, working together, fighting crime. (MK: "Nothing makes me so happy as something I can punch ONCE!"). We hear a scream and go running to the scene of a woman menaced by three hoodlums. With arrows darts and a punch we bring them down. The victim reaches into her bag… and pulls out a golden mask! That's when MK gets hit with a sap and KB gets hit with a tranq dart.

MK calls CM, "get down here and look for a heat trail." MK looks for clues: the thugs who were netted are gone but the nets weren't cut. CM sees a bunch of energy expended, but no trail. She's got teleportation magic working for her? Or maybe

CM lets the rest of the team — flying back from Siberia — know. RZB: "Who decided MK would be a good babysitter?"

Magic or mutant? Can't be sure. All we know is stuff happened and we don't know what. (Craig: Sounds familiar) And Kate is gone again (Craig: Also familiar).

The team tells CM and MK about the Soviet Super Soldiers. DF: "You know the bear? Turns out he's more were-bear than bear-bear so…" We need to get Kate back and be there in a week.

SHJ tries to track Kate's phone. Shows her in NYC. MK finds a surveillance camera and finds Madam Masque opening a magical portal on her own. The thugs disappeared as though they were never there.

So Madam Masque is a sorceress? More likely a sorcerer is using Masque's identity. Loki? Sounds likely. Head to NY — Brooklyn in particular.

-———————

Kate wakes up. No bow, but not tied up. She's lying on a cot and in a chair is… her mother? "I thought you…" "I know. And I am." "Where am I?" "You're still in the realm of the living. It's complicated." "I've heard that before, Like when dad told me you were dead." "I know, he certainly tried to kill me. But I can't die." She pulls out the Masque. "Do you like this mask? With it I can look like anyone I want to. But this is my true face."

She pulls the mask aside; on the right side it looks like her mother, on the left: a corpse. Kate's mother is Hela!

"This is why I have been trying to get you by my side. I've set it all in motion, the end of all things. I don't want you to be consumed by Jormungander. You need to come with me to Nifelheim. When Asgard falls, when Midgard is consumed and the other worlds destroyed, only Nifelheim will survive. We can rebuild from there."

"Are you serious." "Think about your proficiency with weapons" "What about my friends?" "If they are dead, they are mine, they will come to Nifelheim." "But will they be themselves?" "Of course. But you don't have to suffer death to come to Nifelheim, being of my blood."

"Why did you have me kill Balder?" "Oh no, I did that; the mask, my dear." "Can I have my bow?" "Of course" [pop] "Or would you prefer to have Hod's bow?" [pop] She takes both. "Can you show me Nifelheim?" "But of course."

-————————-

DF constructs subdermal trackers for everyone (major effort getting it into Carol). And a secondary, active transmitter with a panic button.

We locate Kate in Brooklyn. Tracked to an office building. RZB commands. CM scouting from air. MK on a roof nearby. SHJ recon from the inside. RZB watching the back door. SHJ hacks the security to get inside and stealth's his way upstairs listening for voices.

SHJ feels something, odd. An un-echoic feeling, an absence, from a particular direction. Senses NOTHING there. Calls it in. CM tries to look in at that area. It's pitch black. CM picks up MK and hovers outside the location. The other three go in.

It's so black it hurts your eyes. DF reaches in, it seems… okay? MK comes in, attaches the grapple and hooks the other end to DF. DF walks through…

…to see Kate and Hela; Hela forming a portal. "Kate, time to go!" Hela zaps her.

CM (hearing DF on the comm link) comes in through the window projecting light. Sees what's happening, tries to grab DF (then Kate). RZB charges in; throws a shuriken at Hela's eye. It causes Hela's blast to miss DF and dissipate in the blackness (though on MK's side, it blasts off half of the building). SHJ leaps in toward Kate. Kate yells "STOP!" MK races in takes in the scene and punches Hela. As he charges in, his ankh begins to glow and he feels greatly empowered (+4 shifts!). His blow draws blood! And sounds like a hammer falling on an anvil!

CM tries talking to Kate who says "You're coming in way too fast!" MK punches her again. RZB kicks her; can't say if it hurt her. Hela rakes MK with her "talons of death"; shreds his armor, but with his boosted, Unearthly, Endurance she can't kill him! SHJ, "What do we need to know?" KB: "She's my mother. She wants me to go with her to Nifelheim" DF: "Do you want to go?" KB: "I'd rather I could take you all with me." DF: "Say what?"

CM: "How do you know she's your mother?" KB, thinks. MK hits her again (damn it!). Hela, vexed by MK "You have no place here sand-lover!" manifests and transfixes him with a wicked looking sword; which hurts bad, but still doesn't kill him. RZB: "I don't care who she is." and tries to get in under her guard failing. SHJ "Let's go anyway." Kate: "Okay." DF Guides them out.

CM guards the rear. MK calls "Carol, we could use another God here!" and hits her again. Hela grabs for MK ankh to rip it off, but it explodes with energy outward. Hela is thrown on her back; making a slight groan. Hela brings her hands together and vanishes, along with the darkness and silence.

CM calls to Heimdall, and is taken to the rainbow bridge. MK's ankh loses its energy, and MK collapses (heavily into the negative on health). DF begins to resuscitate MK.

CM to Heimdall, "Is there any validity to Hela's claim?" "I cannot see the past but based on what I currently see, it is possible." Odin might know, but isn't going to talk with Carol. CM is sent back.

We get on the quinjet and fly back to LA; to a hospital for MK and a med lab for Frankie to analyze Kate.

"Kate, how are you doing?" "I'm in relative shock." (Mark: "I'm the daughter of the Goddess of Death; I'm in relative shock.")

Okay, so we put off Ragnarok for, like 30 seconds. What are we going to do now? Should we tell SHIELD about what happened? Probably Fury. What next?

The WCA Wear Down Their Foes

Next day in New York.

Fury puts everything in place; assuring us he will oversee personally so Ms. Bishop doesn't get misplaced.

Captain Marvel, Razorblade and Doctor Strange escort Kate as she turns herself over to SHIELD in a very public location (press invited). SHIELD lawyer ("public defender") "My client is not guilty, framed…" etc. They look to Kate for a comment "The only thing I have to say is I know everything and I'm going to tell everybody". She is escorted into the police station, where she is swapped with a decoy who is put into a jail cell. (Aileen: "Poor, poor decoy." Eben: "But the pay is great and the benefits are awsome" Aileen: "Still, we should send her cookies or something.")

One of the SHIELD escort reveals himself to be Dr. Strange. He reports no signs of scrying or other mystical energy. We seem clean. During pre-flight, a portal opens in the quinjet. DF tackles Kate. Standing in the portal are Amora and Skurge. Dr Strange does something at Kate to protect her. Carol passes Kate to MK, (Craig: "Kate McGuffin"); MK, DF, SHJ run for it. Skurge comes after the guys. The girls and Dr. Strange turn to take on the Enchantress.

Dr Strange invokes the Vishanti, Serpahim and some others and throws a beam of light at the Enchantress, which doesn't appear to do anything (but it was a good one!). RZB preps her throwing stars and throws one into Amora's eye.

Kate fires an explosive arrow at Skurge, hurts him, but no stun." Enchantress curses out RZB and casts at her, but RZB dodges. DF jumps to get in front of Kate. Skurge swings his axe at Kate, hitting DF (for 50), it hurts, but he holds himself together. MK punches Skurge with his cesti. SHJ does a jump kick charge on Skurge. CM absorbs energy from the quinjet.

Dr Strange wraps Amora in the Crimson Bands of Cytorakk. RZB throws some more shuriken at her. Kate shoots another explosive arrow. Amora strains herself but fails to break the bands. DF continues to intervene between Skurge and Kate. Skurge again strikes DF, stunning him (You had the air knocked out of you… the hard way). MK wraps his cape around Skurge's head to interfere with his vision. SHJ grabs his arm. CM punches Amora in her face (80 damage! "Puny Enchantress!"). Dr Strange plinks her to knock her out.

Kate shoots Skurge with an electric arrow (99!), though it doesn't stun him ("Why does this electricity vex me so"). Skurge grabs MK by the shoulder, hurting him. SHJ kicks Skurge, and snatches his axe away, falling back with the axe on top of him (it weighs almost as much as he does!).

Kate shoots Skurge with a net arrow, wrapping him. Skurge is now axeless, covered in a net, with a cape around his head and holding Moon Knight by the shoulder. SHJ is flailing on the ground under the axe ("Is he hurt? No, I'm a doctor, not a power lifter"). DF slams into his legs. Skurge snaps the net (by 1 point). MK jumps and kicks him in the kidneys.

Kate runs to get Carol. DF runs after her. Skurge throws MK into a wall. MK throws darts, with no effect. SHJ gets out from under the axe!

Kate and DF wrestle. Skurge punches SHJ and grabs his axe. MK interposes himself between Skurge and Kate. SHJ tries an upper cut, but misses.

Kate loads a blunt arrow, but it only annoys Skurge. DF jumps onto him. Skurge throws him against the wall. MK punches him in the face. SHJ slams him.

Kate jumps into the fray to try to throw him, but fails. RZB and CM show up. RZB does a flying kick that is ineffective. DF slams into him. Skurge grabs his axe. MK grabs Kate pulling her out of the line of fire. SHJ hits the ground. Skurge looks up in time to see CM flying into his face.

RZB kicks him with no effect. He hits Carol with his Axe. MK slips in and punches him. SHJ kicks him. CM wrestles the axe away from him.

RZB kicks him again. Skurge punches Carol. MK keeps punching him. CM boosts her strength and hits him with his own axe.

Skurge is blinded, in pain, surrounded by flies who won't leave him alone. "I give up. Just stop, damnit." CM: "Good, your mistress is down." Sk: "Of course she is, I wasn't there to protect her." CM: "Why is she trying to frame Kate?" Sk: "How in Niffleheim would I know? She points, I hit, it's the nature of our relationship." CM: "What happens the next time she points at me?" Sk: "I'll hit you. I won't be looking forward to it though."

We secure the two of them in SHIELD cells. CM interrogates Amora.

CM: Why set up Kate? En: She was there. CM: Why? En: You will probably figure it out yourself… when the Fimbulwinter begins. CM: You're trying to bring about Ragnarok. En: And then Fenrir will eat the moon; and Jormungand will kill Thor; and Loki will kill Odin. CM: What will you do next? En: It's already done; Baldur is dead. It's just a matter of time, dear heart.

DF: She's just a tool — like her lackey he points, she hits. She doesn't have anything worthwhile to tell us. We're done. Call Thor.

Calls Avengers tower. Gets ahold of Sam Wilson. Gives a quick recap. "We think you should be on the look out for giant wolves, eternal winters and what nots. We need to let Thor know." Thor has left for Asgard with Baldur's body; hoping his mother can help. Wilson lets the team know and invtes us to meet with the East-Coast team.

We make sure everything with Kate is cleared up. Spider-Man shows up to talk with Kate. Kate decides to stay with the WCA.

A little later, at Avengers Tower.

We are met by Stark and Captain America. Both in civies, Tony with a drink. "Captain." "Captain." DF to Stark: "Doctor", "Doctor". SHJ to Sam: "Dude", "Dude."

We go inside. There's a huge spread. MK is impressed by how well the crew responds to being fed like this and talks to Tony about it.

Before Thor left, he said if anything out of the ordinary happened, there's a way to get to him. He placed a magical rune on the roof. If any of us say the magic words, the guy on the other end will hear us.

There seems to be so many easier ways to do this. Why control Kate? HOW did she control Kate? Where's Fenrir? CA: "SHIELD has dealt with more than one Asgardian. Your Joe Blow Asgardian could tie me into a pretzel. Are you sure you want to go to Asgard?" SHJ "Not really, but we need to tell them what's going on." BW: "One of us should probably go ask Heimdall if Thor can talk to us. I'll take care of that."

(Major difference between the West Coast Avengers and the East Coast: The East Coast beat up their enemies; the West Coast wear them down).

A few minutes later Natasha returns with Heimdall! (His presence fills the room). We fill him in (of course he has "seen" a lot of it).

How did she use Kate like this? He: "I wouldn't put it past the Trickster; he has been missing for several years." Are we sure Fenrir is still chained? "Yes, he is still there." Where were Amora and Skurge prior to attacking us? Were they in Asgard? "No they were not." MK suggests that turning them over might not be the best idea; Loki's plan might have been for Amora's attack to result in them being imprisoned in Asgard.

We protect all the nine realms as they all have their place and their purpose, even the ones we don't like. Can us on Midgard do anything to prevent Ragnarok? The signs of Ragnarok are as vague as they are well known.

We decide to keep the Enchantress and Skurge on Earth, but in separate locations.

This Looks Bad

Ambassador Mar-Vel has stopped by. He looks very odd in a suit and tie, especially since he prefers shades of green.

Weekly briefing, Monday at 8:00 AM. Aide comes in. Message coming in for the Captain, Eyes Only. Carol goes into a private room. Close-up and blurry image of Spider Man. "Not much time before this hits the rotating blades. SHIELD thinks Kate killed somebody. She might be heading to you. Don't let the SHIELD guys know."

When she can pull the team (minus Jessica) aside privately, she tells the rest of us. "We need to keep her safe from SHIELD." Some discussion, Jack is more willing to trust SHIELD than the rest. Communication comes in from Nick Fury.

Fury: "We have reason to believe the younger Hawkeye has committed felony breaking and entering, grand larceny and second degree (or worse) murder. At the Metropolitan Museum, one of the curators was found dead with one of young Hawkeye's arrows in her heart. The missing artifact is Hodd's bow. This next part does not leave this room. The curator was Bertram Marks – Baldur."

Razorblade: "If it's Baldur, why not just think it's Loki?"

Fury: "There is security cam footage of someone looking like Kate. I know this looks like a set-up but I've got people breathing down my neck. We need to bring her in at least for her own protection."

DF: "If we bring her in, are they likely to stick her in a nice color-coded box whether shes' guilty or not? Or maybe the shape-shifter who has been known to use this MO and has a grudge against Baldur?"

Captain Marvel and Razorblade remember a way we might get ahold of her. Razorblade and Frankenstein debate as to whether we are SHIELD agents or just work with them. RZB: No way. DF: When it's to our advantage for us.

Cut Scene:

Kate Bishop wakes from a strange dream. She remembers fighting someone. There was art and artifacts around her. She took what looked like her bow from a display case. When she wakes she is not in her room on the Tri-Carrier. Not sure where she is, but it's dingy. And she's tied up.

Kate: "I am NOT going to be the damsel in distress!"

(Aileen OOC: That is also a Hawkeye trait though).

She appears to be in an empty apartment – moved out but not cleaned. The blinds are shut, little sunlight coming in. Hands, feet, arms tied with silk rope, lying on the floor. Using a wall, she wobbles to her feet. By lurching and hopping she manages to make it into the kitchen. Kitchen seems empty, not even a refrigerator. Smells a bit. Works her way into a bedroom; one wire hanger. A half hour of work, and she gets her hands free using the wire hanger. Quickly gets herself completely untied. Realizes she is in her uniform, without her bow and arrows. "And here I am feeling naked."

By the skyline, she sees she is in Los Angeles. (Is there a fire escape, probably not. You could go out the door. It's against my Hawkeye nature to go out the door!). Able to leave the apartment though the door. One of the low-rent parts of LA. Morning. Full sun. And she's in costume. Starts walking around, but doesn't really know where she is. She finds someone who will lend their phone and calls Carol.

Cut back

The team is flying on the quinjet headed for New York. "Moon Knight: "She's going to call me. We bonded." Captain Marvel's phone rings. Kate's at India and 3rd. "Wait at India and 3rd. Run if anyone looks police-y. (What are you wearing? Hey what kind of call is this?)" Carol (using a Stunt) projects her emblem onto the bottom of the quinjet.

We pick up Kate and head for our secret location in Siberia. SHJ tries to disable the quinjet's tracking device.

Went to bed on the Tricarrier in my pajamas; woke up in an abandoned apartment, tied-up, in my costume. Dreamed about fighting someone in a business suit who seemed very strong. Yeah, that was Bladur. DF: "All evidence points to possession. Congratulations, you are officially a Hawkeye now."

Research Hodd's Bow. No separate entry, but just information on the mythological character of Hodd — not confirmed that he was actually an Asgardian. The artifacts were on loan from the kingdom of Asgard. Talks about the story in Norse mythology where Hodd was tricked into killing Baldur.

Maria Hill confirms that the arrow is one of Kate's broadheads that was dipped in mistletoe extract.

Have Kate send an email to Clint, asking him to get ahold of Thor.

Touchdown in Siberia before we receive any response. It's night time. "Siberian summer" so it's above freezing and snow is only on the highest mountains.

Carol flies a few hundred miles away and sends Fury a text letting him know we have Kate and secretly secured. "Picked up package. Secured package in a safe place. Be in contact later."

Night and cold. But we have kept the base supplied — in secret.

[Good news: it's a full moon!]

Moon Knight takes Kate for some sparring; to let her blow off steam and to sharpen her hand-to-hand skills. (Kate: "Punching him makes it better." DF: "Yes, we all feel that way").

Kate notices "our" bear hanging out watching us. Captain Marvel grabs some food and lays it out for him.

Not seeing the connections. But we ask Fury to keep an eye on Willy Evans (the kid from San Francisco) incase someone is targeting our old cases. Taskmaster, Mordred and his group of B-listers? Maybe, we still have no leads.

Decide to disguise Kate as a boy and head to NY to investigate. Moon Knight, Razorblad and Spring-Heeled Jack go to the Museum crime scene. Frankenstein, Kate and Carol go to the body.

Thor arrives and confirms that it is Baldur. DF finds she can't cut the skin of the body. Zero signs of decay — some clearly due to being in cold storage, but not all of it. Only sign of injury is the wound. Frankenstein washes out the wound and seals it with glue and has Captain Marvel try chest compressions to restart his heart. No good. Fortunately no other signs of Ragnarok.

Thor: "The last time this happened… It took a few years but he did wake up again."
Frankenstein: "Well I've closed his wound, so maybe he can still recover. Take him home and put him in a corner for awhile, see if he comes back."
Thor: "The bow is not the one that was used when Loki tricked Hodd into shooting Baldur. It would probably break if someone tried it."
Frankenstein: "What if a human tried it?"
Thor: "I hadn't thought of that; don't know if a human could draw it. It was forged by the dwarves and presented to Asgard as a gift during a treaty."
Frankenstein: "Why would anyone steal that among all the other artifacts? There was an awful lot of planning that needed to happen to take Baldur out; this wasn't a casual thing."

Examine Bill's body. He's human and dead. No indication of other medical issues — beyond being 40-something and a bit corpulent. Frankenstein collects the information he needs. Captain Marvel is absolutely certain there is no connection between Bill and the museum.

Museum: display case was smashed. Display case is about 20 yards from where Baldur was found. Did any security guards respond: no. Odd that Mr. Marks would be there at that hour. No record of the alarm going off. Log says alarm was on. Camera footage shows Kate shooting Baldur with her own bow with Hodd's bow slung over her shoulder. Does not capture the smashing of the case (panned by at that moment). No point of ingress, museum was not broken into. She came in, took the bow and walked out the door, which also should have been alarmed. No indication why Baldur was here at that time. Appears Baldur's stuff has been recently "gone through" but nothing appears to be out of place. One of the locks on his desk has been forced. Razorblade grabs his journal (written in Asgardian). Baldur was not in his office when the break in occurred. The camera goes from nothing to everything happening in about 10 seconds.

Manheim's VERY nice apartment. Security footage: shows nothing. No indication of anyone coming into or leaving the apartment building. Found in his chair at his desk. Attacker shot over the desk at him, standing roughly at the door of his office. No splatter, great deal of leakage. Pinned to the chair. Someone walked down the hall from the living room, faint foot impressions – Kate sized foot impressions. Living room, high-quality wood flooring. No way for the person to have gotten to the living room in the first place. Captain Marvel determines there was a lot of energy in the living room in the last 24 hours.

MK Financial forensics: Bishop Publishing has been involved in a hostile takeover by Caravaggio and Finch — a front for the Mafia. Their main obstacle has been the legal maneuvering of William Manheim. Kate remembers that Madam Masque is involved with the Mafia.

Captain Marvel asks for Thor to help with translating Baldur's journal. "Mostly talking about the objects… this section is about the bow. It was the real bow? I can't be the dwarves would… Baldur suspected the dwarves made the bow but it wasn't a recent creation, it was the bow of the orignal Hodd. On Hodd's death they reclaimed it. It might have been Hodd's actual bow… He mentions several private collectors, including Derrick Bishop approached him to purchase the entire collection."
DF: "Why would The Enchantress want Baldur dead?"
Thor: "They used to date."

Don't know if anyone else can draw the bow; Hodd was an old man when he used it.

Enchantress working with Madame Masque. Oh boy. Or is the Enchantress actually Madame Masque? Derrick Bishop may be completely under the Enchantress's spell, doing everything at her whim. Manheim was super-gay — likely since the Enchantress couldn't control him he had to be done away with.

We pull everything together and send it, Eyes Only, to Fury.

Try to develop a plan. Suggest having male SHIELD staff go on furlough. Turn her over to SHIELD. Make it public that she declares she has been framed, she knows everything and is going to reveal all. This should make the Enchantress appear and either try to kill Kate there, or abduct her. Need to have Doctor Strange help us: either prevent Enchantress from porting out once she shows up, or keep the portal open so we can follow if she gets away. Also put tracker(s) on Kate so we can be sure to follow her.

We land at the border and have Captain Marvel fly in at top speed with a white flag. They shoot at her the whole way, requiring her to stop often when the flag catches on fire. She is in the city before the shooting stops.

She finds Doom standing on top of one of his towers, drinking wine and looking exactly like we last saw him. "I apologize for the overzealousness of some of my officers. Can I offer ypu wine?" "…uhhh…coffee, please " Doom shows us the firstof several Regency-era tables with a hologram projector built in and orders up coffee service.

Captain Marvel-"We have become aware that a certain sorcerer has entered your country. "

Doom-"A sorcerer you had problems with involving his face? Baron Mordo, hmm? We can't have a noble of another nation violating our sovereignity."

He allows the rest of the team to join him at the castle. We are greeted by a robot (resembling a shorter K-2SO) named Richard who escorts us to Doom. The castle looks like it's been in a time capsule for 600 years, except for all the electricity flowing through the walls.

Doom talks with us from his throne in an audience chamber. "If you are here in any official capacity I can't help you." We come up with an acceptable explanation of the situation and he agrees to let us pursue Mordo as long as we do not pose a threat to his people or country. He provides a frequency we can use to contact him with our comms.

Moon Knight sneaks in, finding a couple dozen zombies there. He finds Mordo, in his armor, on the top floor, casting some form of spell; probably to charge his armor.

After calling in the others, Moon Knight charges, throwing crescent darts to draw his attention and then slamming him with a flying kick. Mordo goes flying i to the wall, breaking his spell casting.

Captain Marvel flys in and grapples him. Razorblade and Dr Frankenstein attack with little effect. Moon Knight watches the ladder to protect from zombies. Spring-Heeled Jack kicks him for little effect. Mordo sets off a magic blast that has minor impact. Spider Woman shoots a venom blast that doesn't hurt Mordo, but allows Captain Marvel to charge up her energy absorption.

Carol hits him with Unearthly Strength, slamming him into the wall again and leaving him seeing stars. Dr Frankenstein is able to take advantage of the moment and remove his mask, revealing a Mordo scarred and very beaten up. Mordo utters some arcane words, there is a purple flash… and nothing happens, to everyone`s surprise. Spider Woman webs his mouth shut.

Captain Marvel- "Time for you to make proper introductions to the soveriegn of this country." "There will be no need." Doom floats in the window, wearing his own armor, much like Mordo's. "Thank you Avengers. And thank you Baron for testing the prototype." He shuts down Mordo's armor with a gesture and throws him out the window where drones grab him and fly off.

Dr Frankenstein- "We have apprehended a criminal and turned him over to this country's proper authorities. Time for us to go. " I wish I could allow that, but I'm afraid ypu know a bit to much." He seta off an explosion. Most of us dive for cover but Spring-Heeled Jack an Dr Frankenstein take the worst of it. Captain Marvel flies in to grab Spring-Heeled Jack. Doom levels a gauntlet at Dr Frankenstein and lets loose a taser beam. Dr Frankenstein barely keeps conscious.

Moon Knight, having dived you the lower level for safety, grapple guns up, charges across the room to grab Dr Frankenstein, and jumps out the window. Spider Woman webs the two of them and brings them to safety.

We all jump on the quinjet, where Jarvis informs us Stark has authorized him to take us "the hell" lot of there. Five minutes of intense aerial acrobatics later (and lots of vommitting) and we are safe in Estonia. Razorblade calls Drake to inform him of Mordo and Doom's collusion. Razorblade also kept her comm set to Doctor Doom's frequency.

At least Doom has shown his hand. His highly technologically metal-gloved hand.

The adventure log is where you list the sessions and adventures your party has been on, but for now, we suggest doing a very light “story so far” post. Just give a brief overview of what the party has done up to this point. After each future session, create a new post detailing that night’s adventures.

One final tip: Don’t stress about making your Obsidian Portal campaign look perfect. Instead, just make it work for you and your group. If everyone is having fun, then you’re using Obsidian Portal exactly as it was designed, even if your adventure log isn’t always up to date or your characters don’t all have portrait pictures.

Our Pigeons Come Home to Roost

A couple months of routine later…

Jessica Drew has been working on iterations of her Spider Woman costume and developed the ability to glide. With Jessica becoming an agent, Doug Dugan has stepped up as our SHIELD liaison. And Doctor Strange has taken off to lead the uprising against Dormmamu in the Dark Dimension.

In the middle of a training session, Dugan calls us to the situation room.

Frankenstein: "That doesn't sound like donuts."

Dugan: "Tim, get us donuts…and coffee."

He informs us that Baron Mordo has escaped.

After our last encounter, Mordo has been wearing a mask and has recovered his sight. He was in a prison in Transylvania but has escaped. SHIELD is not welcome by the monarchy, so our ability to act is limited. Moon Knight suggests that Steven Grant has some investments in the country — giving us a reason to be there — and the rest of the team can travel as his entourage.

We arrive in Bucharest and the SHIELD agents there present us with a locked room mystery. Mordo is in the room and then he isn't. Traveling to the scene, we realize the tape was looped. Carol notices a wear pattern on the floor where he paced and some magical energy centered around the wall. Quick research reveals a on-in-a-hundred-and-eighty-years planetary alignment at the moment of his disappearance and it becomes obvious he opened a magical portal and stepped through.

With no other leads, we head to Baron Mordo's castle in Transylvania. Razorblade is able to sense residual magical energy in the second highest room — Mordo's old laboratory, so that's where we start. The room has been ransacked, some things overturned, others missing.

At the same moment, Moon Knight's ankh begins to glow and Captain Marvel senses an energy sink in the doorway to the room. Moments later a mist forms and out of it steps a very handsome man with black hair dressed in an immaculate black suit, scarlet, patterned tie and a sun-burst symbol medal.

Stranger: "I suppose I should be honored to receive a vist from the famous Avengers."
Frankenstein: "Oh we aren't the <u>famous</u> Avengers…"

Count Drake: "That would cause more of an international incident than I am interested in. We can talk about this further. I will meet you at the restaurant of the Grand in Bucharest." And he departs back through the mists.

Doctor Frankenstein: "Razorblade, you just insulted a Count who could have us all terminally vampired! You all would not have survived 1930s Germany."

Reserach reveals that Mordo has a thing for old castles — he's even rebuilt a few — and has several throughout Europe and Western Asia.

We meet the count. The wine is quite good and he drinks along with us. Frankenstein subtly tries to get as drunk as possible

Moon Knight: "We apologize. We Americans are quite boors."

Count Drake: "Your self-deprication does you credit"

Moon Knight: "Oh, I'm quite good at that."

Drake proves to be a gracious host. He knows America quite well, having attended Columbia University. The dinner is both Halal and Kosher, with Drake openly acknowledging Spring-Heeled Jack's dietary restrictions, and he eats with us. Both Jack and Frankenstein are left wondering how he knows Jack is Muslim and that Frankenstein was Jewish.

Razorblade asks about Drake's relationship to Mordo. "Occasional collaborators, occasional adversaries. The baron lacks long-term vision, concerned more with immediate results. His disappearance does concern me. left to his own devices he can be a very dangerous man."

Razorblade: "Looks like you could be a dangerous man too."

Count Drake: "You could say that. But there are rules. Mordo has breached his social contract."

Razorblade: "Can you lend aid in finding him?"

Count Drake: "There is no extradition between our countries. If he was tried in another country there is nothing I could do to stop it. It is in everyone's best interest if he is out of Transylvania, which my network indicates is the case. Here is my card. My people will give you what information we have on Mordo, that is the best I can do."

Is he a vengeful man? Yes.

Doctor Frankenstein: "Is he going to be upset about me scarring his face? (I think I drank more than I should have)." Yes

After dinner Moon Knight does a bit of patrolling.

The next day we travel to G'Dunsk to follow up at Mordo's facility there. Carol (rolling 00) confirms something was in the laboratory half an hour before.

We are interrupted by the sounds of gunfire and body impacts. We rush into the hall to see a hooded, green-cloaked figure choking out the last SHIELD agent in his metal fist.

Razorblade kicks him in the back and knocks him to his knees. Captain Marvel takes him the rest of the way to the ground and Moon Knight and Spider Woman secure him. An explosion knocks us away (and hurts!). The next round, only Spider Woman lands a decent blow. Frankenstein tries sitting on his head, which ends when the figure levitates and turns to face us.

Our opponent wears grey, Iron Man-like armor, crafted to look medieval. He is bedecked in a green tunic with a large letter Psi on it and large shoulder pauldrons. The mask… is made into the visage of Baron Mordo!

Razorblade stabs him in the eye, Marvel uses her flash and Moon Knight slams him with a baton. Jack slams into him with no effect. Frankenstein tugs on his cloak and pulls him back to the ground. "Somebody get me a screwdriver!"

Minus Several Million Points for Setting Yourself on Fire

We hear that SHIELD tech teams disassembled the one Dreadnaught we defeated and the pieces taken to various labs.

The next morning the WCA assembles as a quinjet arrives. Nick Fury walks out.

Moon Knight thinks: "Am I getting fired? Three out of four Moon Knight personalities want to get fired right now."

Fury: "I'm here to see to some training for you people"

Spider Man is with him. He presents Jessica Drew with a set of web shooters.

We head to the training room.

First event is everyone vs. Captain Marvel. Carol is trying to take down a pillar, the rest of us are trying to stop her. Doctor Frankenstein tells the team she has a couple doses of a heavy tranquilizer; the only problem is the only place we could insert a needle would be Carol's eye.

Jack hits Carol in the face with a tangler grenade, Jess web shoots her, while Frankenstein and Moon Knight move to higher vantage points. Captain Marvel burns off the webbing and tangler, and it is painfully obvious we aren't going to be able to stop her. Spider Man swings in and stabs her in the eye with a needle. Captain Marvel goes down.

Second event is capture the flag. Razorblade as captain one selects Doctor Frankenstein, Moon Knight and Nick Fury for her team. Spring-Heeled Jack as captain two selects Spider Woman, Spider Man and Captain Marvel for his. Both teams quickly strategize.

Moon Knight drops a napalm grenade to detangle himself, his suit blocks some of the damage but he is still badly burned; Frankenstein grabs our flag to make sure it doesn't burn. Captain Marvel grabs Frankenstein and the flag and heads for the goal. Fury already has the other flag and is on the way to the goal. Moon Knight grapple guns Captain Marvel to try and slow her down. Spider Woman venom blasts Moon Knight, hitting Carol and Frankenstein too; Jessica's webshooters explode.

In a photo finish, Fury crosses the line first and Razorblade's team wins.

Razorblade is named second in command for her strategic sense. Fury suggests Moon Knight's name should be changed to "Red Lobster".

A Bad Beginnig

In Los Angeles, a Middle-Eastern shop is being shaken down. Four racketeers are messing up the shop and assaulting the owner. Out of the back room, the owner's son grabs his father's gun and makes an impossible leap, slamming the leader to the floor. He luckily finds he can't shoot straight, but his powerful leaps and kicks quickly take down the rest. Detective Vladez from the LAPD's Organized Crime unit responds to the scene and asks how he managed to do it. "I'm an athlete… and a mutant."